Vehicle bumper



` Oct. 18,1927. WEILAND VEHICLE BUMPER Filed Feb. 27. 1926 MN WN Patented @et 1d) 1927.

tetas itt it a t' til bl ll (til tilt ALFRED lV'EIll'iJhTB, @1? NESHANC, NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNOR T0 SHELDDN AXLE AND IES-BARRE, FENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- BUMPER.

Application. filed February 27, 19226.v Serial No. 91,105.

The present invention relates to bumpers for automobiles and more particularly to a flexible spring bar impact receiving construction. I

Some of the objects ot'- the present invention are to provide an improved unitary bumper` structure; to provide an improved bumper wherein impact members are 2LT- ranged to absorb shocks of a minor char- 10 acter while major shocks are absorbed by certain spring adjuncts of the bumper in cooperation with the impact members; to provide means to relieve certain parts ot' a bumper of theshock of impact and lessen such impact before transmitting it to other parts of the bumper; toyprovide means for preventing the rearwardly curved ends of the impact member or members from becoming entangled with or caught upon obstructions when the vehicle, to which the bumper is attached, is backed or otherwise maneuvered in a path or paths out of its ordinary forward direction of travel; to provide slip joint connection between certain parts of the bumper whereby lateral impacts are received upon an initially non-rigld structure: and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear. i

In vthe accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a bumper embodying one form of the present invention: Fig. 2 represents a plan of the same; and Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referringr to the drawings, one form of the present invention consists of two impact liars l and l1 preferably formed of flat spring steel and arranged in parallel edge to edge relation, one super-posed with respect to the other and suitably spaced therefrom. The two ends of the respective bars 10 and 11 are similarly curved rearwardly with respect o the direction of travel of the bumper an terminate ineyes 12 for the reception Ofrpivot bolts v13 and nuts 14 or other means which can serve to connect the sx1 tremities of the bars while permitting relative turning of the eyes 12 upon the bolts 13.

For the purpose of absorbing shocks received by the impact bars 10 and 11 and for resenforcing the action of such hars. i there is an intermediate rearwardly located shock resisting har 15 which `extends parallel to the aforesaid impact bars l() and 1l and across substantially the main central impact receiving portion o't' the bumper. As here shown this .bar 15 is located rearwardly opposite the space between the two impactbars and 11 and its two ends are respectively forwardly and reversely curved as shown at 16 to 'enter and terminate in the space between the bars'lO and 11 and in the vertical plane ot' these bars. These end bars 1G are apertured respectively to receive bolts 17 which traverse inner and outer clamping places 18 and 20 so that when the aforesaid bolts 1T are tightened, the ends of the bar 15 will be rigidly clamped to the impact bars 10 and 11.

Asv a means for taking up the deflection of the ends ot' the 'bars 10 and 1l under received impacts, re-enforcing their shock absoi-hing;r action and preventing bendiner of such ends under abnormal stress, two bridge bars 21 are provided` each having an eye 22 to receive one of the bolts 13 and the length of such eyes being such as to seat snuglybctween the ends of the bars 10 and 1l when the parts are in assembled condition. The opposite ends of these bars 21. are respectively provided with slots 23 for the reception of fastening bolts 24 which also pass through the bar and through laterally turned ends 25 of supporting brackets 26. These brackets are made fast b v any suitable means to the side frames 27 of the,h vehicle to which the bumper is to be attached. It will thus be seen that the bars 21 respectively bridge `the spaces between the ends of the bar 15 and the bolts 13 and while serving as thrust' members resisting lateral inward movement of the ends of the impact members also serve as barriers to prevent objects from being engaged by the rear faces of the ends of the impact bars 10 and 11. Attention is directed to the 10st mo tion connection between these bars 21 and the adjacent parts since this provides for lessening of the initial heavy impact of a laterally directed blow. In other words, an excessive thrust transmitted to the bars 21 will not be received directly by the bar 15 or the supports 26 because the relative movement or the slip connection is suttcient to so diminish the thrust as to make it negligible even though the impact be heavy enough to canse the bar 2l to take up substantially all of its lost motion.

From the toregoing it will be apparent that a complete unitary1 bmnper construction has been devised wherein all ordinary shocks and impacts otl a minor nature are received by the impact bars l0 and ll which. due to their inherent spring properties, absorb such shocks without transmission to the vehicle trame. llihere received shocks are greater than ordinarily met. the flexing ot the bars l0 and ll is transmitted to the bar l5 and by reason ot its curved end structure. there is a proportioning ot the shock and an added gradual absorption thereof betore it reaches the vehicle trame. Since the bar 15 extends transversely across the central major portion ot the bumper substantially all impacts received by the bumper in its usual forward direction ot travel are met and absorbed. llfhere the direction ot' impact comes angularly trom the side or is received endwise upon the bumper ends. there is a lflexing ot' the rearwardlyT curved ends ltl and ll of the bumper to absorb and counteract this lateral torce and the resistance thereto is substantially augmented b v the thrust Vresisting' qualities ot the bridge bars Qi. ln view ot the 'tact that these bridge bars are tree to move to a limited extent under such side thrusts. there is no direct rigid transmission to the bumper or its supports.

Having 'thus described my invention. l claim:

l. bumper comprising impact bars arranged in spaced siuierposed edge to edge relation and having r \ar\vardl v curved end portions. a re-entorcing har spaced rearwardly 'trom said impact bars substantially parallel to the body portion ot' said impact bars and having forwardly and reversely curved ends terminating between said impact bars. clamping means t'or uniting said ends with said impact bars. means t'or supporting said re-ent'orciag bar from a vehicle trame. and means interposed between said supporting means and each end portion ot' said impact bars to protect the rear side otl said curved end portions and to assist in the absorption ot impact. said interposed means being arranged to have a limited movement weasel under impact before transmitting said impact to said supporting means.

2. A bumper comprising impact bars having rearwardlyv curved ends. devices connect ing adjacent ends together. a re-entorcing bar spaced rearwardly from said impact bar.` and having reversely curved ends connected to said impact bars. means tor supporting said re--entorcing bar trom the trame ot a vehicle. lateral thrust receiving members iuterposed respectively between said connecting devices and said supporting means. and a lost motion connection between each thrust receiving member' and saidA supporting means. y l r il. A bumper comprising impact bars having rearwardly curved ends terminating in eyes respectively, pivot bolts connecting adjacent eyes, a re-cntorcing bar spaced rearwardly from said impact bars and having reversely curved ends connected tosaid impact bars, lmeans for Supporting said re-en'- torcing bar trom the trame ot a vehicle.\and lateral thrust receiving members interposed respectively between said pivot bolts and said supporting means, said members being pivoted to said bol-ts respectivelyv and having lost'y motion connections respectively with said supporting means.

et. A bumper compris-ing impact bars having rearwardly curved ends terminating in eyes respectively, pivot bolts connecting adjacent eycs, a re-entorcing bar spaced rearwardly trom said impact bars and having yielding connection with saidimpact bars. means for supporting saidfre-entorcing bar trom the trame of a vehicle. and lateral thrust receiving members interposed respec-` tively between said pivot bolts and said supporting means. Said members having-,lost motion connections respectively with said supporting means.

A bumper comprising impact bars having rearwardly curved ends, supporting bars attached to the trame ot a vehicle. shock absorbing,T means connected between said impact bars and said supporting bars. and rigid non-spring bars connected respectivelv between said supporting bars and the ends ot' said impact bars.

Signed at Philadelphia. county ot lDhiladelphia. State ot Pennsylvania, this 17th day ot February. 1926.

LFBED lVElLAND.

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